Sir Compton Mackenzie recalls songs, shows, dances and personalities of Edwardian days
His guest: Phyllis Monkman
The Singers:
Gladys Ripley , Billie Baker
Jan van der Gucht
Frederick Sharp , Dudley Rolph
George Betton
BBC Chorus
(Chorus-Master, Leslie Woodgate )
BBC Concert Orchestra (Leader, John Sharpe )
Conductor, Gilbert Vinter
Produced by Harold Neden
Tonight's Beaux and Belles begins with memories of The Duchess of Dantzig and The Lady Dandies, in which the adorable Evie Greene was the star.
Sir Compton Mackenzie 's guest,
Phyllis Monkman , will recall her earliest days on the stage with stories of Lady Madcap and of The Belle of Mayfair, in which Camille Clifford caused such a sensation with her song Why do they Call me a Gibson Girl?
A cult for pseudo-orientalism was now manifesting itself not only in stage dancing but in drawing-room ballads, too, and Archibald Joyce, now England's own waltz king, gave us a famous waltz, The Vision of Salome. Lastly, Sir Compton Mackenzie will recall how Viennese operetta, first in the person of The Merry Widow, came to town and came to stay. Harold Neden